How fish tacos are meant to taste

Wednesday

Apr 17, 2013 at 12:01 AM

The Valley of Mexico, in central Mexico, is full of lakes, which are full of fish, which were harvested and wrapped in stone-ground corn tortillas by the peoples of ancient civilizations: the first fish tacos.

The Valley of Mexico, in central Mexico, is full of lakes, which are full of fish, which were harvested and wrapped in stone-ground corn tortillas by the peoples of ancient civilizations: the first fish tacos.

But according to an article in Sunset magazine, the fish taco as we know it — a mild white fish lightly battered and deep-fried, wrapped in a tortilla also stuffed with shredded cabbage and a creamy dressing — did not emerge as a popular dish, even in Mexico, until the middle of the 20th century, when it was reborn in the Mexican state of Baja California.

Just where in Baja the fish taco came from is up for grabs. The vendors in the mercado in Ensenada claim credit, as do vendors in the town of San Felipe on the Sea of Cortes. San Felipe is apparently a gateway to some of the best surfing beaches on the Baja, and vendors there say they made tasty (and affordable) fish tacos to feed hungry (and broke) surfers.

At any rate, we do know that San Felipe is the home of the recipe that the entrepreneur Ralph Rubio extracted from a vendor. On spring break from San Diego State in 1974, the story goes, Rubio was inspired to invite his favorite fish-taco purveyor, Carlos, to open a stand in San Diego. Carlos told Rubio he did not want to leave Mexico, but instead gave the young American the basic outline of his recipe.

The rest, as they say, is history: Rubio is now the owner of the multimillion-dollar West Coast restaurant chain that bears his name, and the fish taco is on restaurant menus not just at Rubio's but around the country.

As for Carlos: According to the Sunset article, Rubio tried to track him down to thank him and share some of the wealth, but the vendor had moved to parts unknown.

Perhaps if I had eaten fish tacos while sipping Coronas on a surfing spring break in the Baja, I would be a fan. But my experience has been with soggy, greasy fish wrapped in sub-par tortillas at mediocre Mexican-ish restaurants.

That's why I was excited to find this delicious version in "The Dinner Survival Cookbook" by Debra Ponzek (Running Press, 2013). These lovely-to-look-at, delicious and simple tacos work for any night of the week. The fish — salmon instead of cod or other white fish — is a palate pleaser, and the fact that the fish is quickly sautéed instead of deep-fried adds to its fresh appeal.

Note: According to the Rubio restaurant website, the chain uses only certified sustainable seafood, as should we all. Look for fish marked as certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (for wild-caught fish) or the Global Aquaculture Alliance (for farmed fish). To learn more about sustainable seafood, check out Monterey Bay Aquarium's "Seafood Watch" program, online at montereybayaquarium.org.

Yield: 8 tacos, or 4 servings

For the dressing:

½ cup sour cream

1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (sold in the Mexican aisle of most supermarkets)

2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from the can)

Kosher salt

For the salsa:

2 avocados

2 tomatoes, cored and diced

½ cup finely diced red onion

¼ cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of 1 lemon or 2 limes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the fish:

4 (5- to 6-ounce) salmon fillets

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup canola oil

For assembly:

Eight (6-inch) flour tortillas

Cilantro leaves for garnish

Lemon or lime wedges

Make the dressing: Stir together the sour cream, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce and mix well. Season to taste with salt. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Make the salsa: Cut each avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Scoop the flesh from the shell and dice it. Toss with the tomato, onion, cilantro and lemon (or lime) juice. Stir to mix and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cook the fish: Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. In a medium skillet, heat the oil until smoking over medium-high heat and cook the salmon, fleshy sides down, for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side, 4 to 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Transfer to a platter to cool slightly.

Assemble the tacos: Spoon heaping tablespoons of the avocado salsa onto each flour tortilla. Gently flake each salmon fillet with your fingers or a fork. Top the salsa with flaked salmon, drizzle on some dressing and sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with lemon or lime wedges on the side.